Tie rod coupling



Mach 5, 1946. n.1. H. BRENNER ET AI. y l 2,396,151.

TIE ROD COUPLING Filed Nov. 3k, 1944 le alf-5 67am@ Patented Mar. 5,1946` ...J B'renner and ALewis Sienna,

Humboldt, Nebr.

Application Npvember s, 1914, serial Np. c1,795

3 Claims. (01287-410) Y I Y Y i i hppsingila. The housing |4 is providedwith a,

This invention relatesto tie rod couplings. An robject of this inventionis to provide in a tie rod coupling a Safety means forming part `of thecoupling to prevent'the ends of the coupling va' spring for holding theseat parts in'conta'ctwith threaded opening I5 by means of which alubricant may be forced into the` interior of the housing Vandnormallyfthe threaded opening I5 is closed by means of a threaded'plugIB. The housing I0 yhas mounted therein ab'all I'Igwhich has formedintegral therewitha tapered stud I8, Aer1-- gaging within the boss IIand tightly-secured the ball, one of the seat parts and the ball beingso constructed and arranged ag to prevent complete separation of theball and the'seat parts so that in the event the holding means for'theseat parts becomes damaged' or'w'ornf to r`an extent whereby the seatparts may work loose, such parts will beretained on the ball so that thecoupling or joint may be subsequently repaired without replacement ofthe parts.

With tie rod couplings at present in use when both the ball and ballseat wear, the coupling will separate and as this coupling is a vitalpart of the steering structure, the separation of the coupling partsleaves the vehicle out of the control of the driver. It is, therefore, afurther object within the tapered bore I9 of the boss I I by means of aholding nut20. rThe nut is threaded onto a reduced diameter threadedstud 2l extending from the small end of tapered stud'ln. Tapered studltis connected with the ball I1 by means of a' reversely taperedconnecting stud V22. Ball Il fis adaptedfto engage a'balLseat member 23which is positioned within. the housing I4, and housingr I4 isfprovidedwith an annular flange 2li against which seat member 23 engages' Asecond ball seat member is positioned within the housing I4 and bearsagainst ball I'l oppositely from seat 23. Ball seat member 25 includesan annular flange 26,having an out-` carried by llange 26 engages in akeyway 26h formed in housing I4 so that seat member 25 will be heldagainst turning and with the long variations, and modifications may beresorted to v which fall Ywithin the scope of the invention as yclaimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a detail bottom plan of a tie rod coupling constructedaccording to an embodiment of this invention, the dust cap beingremoved.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line.

2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2. l

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I0 desl ignates generally asteering arm which is formed axis of opening 28 lengthwise of rod I3. Aspring 29 bears at one end against flange 26 and at the other'end bearsagainst an annulus 30.

The adjacent end of the housing I4 is crimped or otherwise upset, asindicated at 32, so as Vto retain annulus 3U within housing I4. In orderto provide a means whereby the two seat members 23 and 25 will beretained on4 the ball I'I in the event annulus 3U becomes disengagedfrom housing I4, I have provided a threaded stud 33 which is formedintegral with ball I'I and has a nut 34,v

Vwith respect to ball seat member 21, so that stud 33 may freely swingin the chamber 33 formed between seat member 25 and washer 30.

A dust cap 31 is formed integral with annulus 30 and includes acylindricalside wall 38 having Y an vouter diameter less than the outerdiameter of the annulus to thereby form a shoulder 39v against which thecrimping 32 is adapted to bear. At the opposite .end housing I4 isformed with a lsecond rabbet 40 on which a cap 4I, having an 2Q Y' Y i2,396,151

ing 43 being large enough so as to permit free swinging movement of stud22 with respect -to cap 4 I.

Flange 24 of housing I 4 is formed with an elliptical opening 44, havingthe long axis thereof extending lengthwise of rod I3, so that thegreatest movement of stud 22 may be in the plane of -the longitudinalaxis of rod I3. A dished dust washer or cover 45 loosely engages overthe outer end of cap 4I, the concave side of cover 45 being innermostand cover 45 is formed with an opening 46 through which stud 22 looselyengages. As stud 22 rocks with respect to seat 23, cover 45 will movetherewith, the outer diameter of cover 45 being substantially largerthan the diameter of opening 43 of cap 4|. A gasket 41 is interposedbetween the adjacent end of boss I I and the convex side of cover 45.

In the use and operation of this tie rod coupling, tapered stud I8 issecured by means of the nut 20 in tapered opening I9 of boss II. Tie rodI2 and steering arm I0 may rock one relative to the other with ball I1rocking on the seat members 23 and 25. Spring 29 Will hold outer seatmember 25 in contact with ball I1 and hold ball I1 against seat 23. Inthe event the `coupling should become damaged and ring 3a should becomedisengaged from housing I4, the two seat members 23 and 25 will beretained in engagement with ball Il by means of nut 34. Under normalconditions nut 34 is spaced from seat member 25, but when washer 30becomes disengaged from housing I4 the seat members will be held inoperative engagement with ball I1. and downward force on tie rod I2 willnot effect a separation of housing I4 from ball I1. This couplingprovides a safety factor for the joint between a tie rod and a steeringarm or other element so that the coupled elements will not becomeseparated in the event such elements become loosened. In the event theball I1 and the seat 23 should become so worn that the ball cancompletely separate from housing I4, ball Il will slip through worn seat23, seat 25 will move upwardly against seat 23, and nut 34 will thenhold ball I1 against complete separation inasmuch as nut 34 cannot slipthrough slot 28 in seat 25. The coupling hereinbefore described,therefore, provides a safety factor which will prevent the vehicle fromgetting out of control by damage or wear to the tie rod coupling.

What is claimed is:

1. A tie rod coupling comprising a rod, a, housing-at one end of saidrod, a flange carried by said housing, a ball seat in said housingengaging against said flange, a ball engaging against said seat, atapered stud extending from said ball, a second seat in said housingengaging said ball oppositely from said first seat, a spring constantlyurging said second Seat to-ward said ball, a second stud carried by saidball oppositely from said tapered stud, and a seat retaining member onsaid second stud for holding said second seat against removal.

2. A tie rod coupling as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second studis threaded and said retaining member comprises a nut threaded onto saidsecond stud.

3. A tie rod coupling as set forth in claim 1 wherein the outer end ofsaid second stud is upset to hold said retaining member against outwardmovement.

JOHN H. BRENNER. LEWIS SLAMA.

